Reconstruction of traffic situations from digital video-recording using method of volumetric kinetic mapping

In the past the traffic accident reconstruction was based in principle only on indirect methods that use accident marks and witness reports. These data were then used within backward reconstruction of event for determination of motion status of accident participants and expression of desirable quantities as are initial velocities, impact velocities, distances travelled or temporal conditions. These methods and their accuracy are dependent on the width of intervals of input quantities or on limited possibilities for motion synchronization between numerable participants of road traffic accidents. Existence of footage from CCTV cameras that captures traffic situations presents very valuable source of information about these accidents. The goal of the article is proposal of a volumetric kinetic mapping (VKM) method of accident reconstruction from CCTV footage. The method is based on synthesis of videoediting, videoanalysis and kinetic simulation using dedicated software for accident reconstruction. The method was furthermore validated for speed-time and distance-time variables by means of experimental test runs and by subsequent application of the method in the reconstruction of these tests using PC-Crash simulation software and two videoediting software packages. Results of the reconstructions of validation runs using VKM method were then verified by comparing them to the measured data from Corrsys Datron Microstar measuring system.